Physicochemical and Phytochemical Studies of Some Selected Antimalarial Herbal Drugs Used in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria is a major public health problem in developing countries and it is becoming more difficult to manage. This probably accounts for the current increase in use of herbal drugs in the prevention and treatment of malaria in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical properties and phytochemicals contents of some antimalarial herbal drugs produced in Nigeria. The herbal drugs were purchased from a local market in the Southwest Nigeria and were indicated to be manufactured in Nigeria. They were separately air-dried, the physicochemical properties and photochemicals in them were determined using standard methods. The ranges of pH, total ash, acid soluble ash and water insoluble ash are 4.20 - 8.10, 9.43 – 13.50%, 5.40 – 8.30% to 4.3 – 5.40% respectively. Metal analysis of the drugs showed five heavy metals and their concentrations ranges (mgkg-1) are: cobalt (4.5 – 1.0), cadmium (0.5-2.0), lead (0.5-4.5) manganese (35.0 - 115.0) and copper (3.0 – 8.5). The phytochemicals detected in the herbal drugs are: Tannin, flavonoid, alkaloid and phenol. Thus, the potency of these drugs may be attributed to some of the phytochemicals found in them. Concentrations of cobalt and cadmium are above WHO maximum permissible limit (0.48 and 0.3 mgkg^-1 respectively).